Ecclesiastes 7 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 7 ▼
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1 Better is a good name than good oil, And better is the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth. A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.
2 Better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting Because that is the end of all mankind, And the living puts this in his heart. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.
3 Better is vexation than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be merry. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the heart of fools is in the house of gladness. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 Better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools. It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling sound of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is vanity. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.
7 For oppression gives a wise man over to madness, And a bribe destroys the heart. Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart. Extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 Better is the end of a matter than its beginning; Better is patience of spirit than haughtiness of spirit. Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
9 Do not be eager in your spirit to be vexed, For vexation rests in the bosom of fools. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this. Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is a shadow of protection as money is a shadow of protection, And the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its masters. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.
13 See the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent? Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?
14 In the day when there is good be of good cheer, But in the day when there is evil see— God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not find out anything that will be after him. In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
15 I have seen everything during my days of vanity; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
16 Do not be excessively righteous, and do not be overly wise. Why should you make yourself desolate? Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise— why destroy yourself?
17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a simpleminded fool. Why should you die before your time? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool— why die before your time?
18 It is good that you seize one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them. It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them. It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
19 Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten men with power who are in a city. Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.
20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
21 Also, do not give your heart to all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your slave cursing you. Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you—
22 For your heart also knows that you likewise have many times cursed others. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others. for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. All this I tested by wisdom and I said, “I am determined to be wise|— but this was beyond me.
24 What has been is far away and exceedingly deep. Who can find it? That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? Whatever exists is far off and most profound— who can discover it?
25 I turned my heart to know, to explore, and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the wickedness of foolishness and the simpleminded folly of madness. I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness. So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.
26 And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is good before God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her. And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her. I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.
27 “See, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— “Look,” says the Teacher, “this is what I have discovered: “Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—
28 which my soul still seeks but has not found. I have found one man out of a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these. which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. while I was still searching but not finding— I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all.
29 See, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.” See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
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